Re: crosses for SAGE

Chris and Michael, thank you for your ideas and offers.
 
The crosses I had planned (and did get some made) included the SA's DEVONSHIRE CREAM, FLUTE ENCHANTE' and IN A HEARTBEAT with various things.  I haven't seen a single pod from a "take."
 
Since I had noted (using Michael's criteria, I hope) a pronounced elevated beard spine on PARIS FASHION, I used the little bit of pollen it produced on a number of things.  As far as I have determined, none took.  I had intended to try FOGBOUND, one of its parents, as an alternate.  None of those got made.
 
I had also intended to make extensive crosses on to SWINGTOWN, as it shows a distinct "arrow" of beard spine tissue extending on beyond the beard (BSE I assume).  It has rained every day since Swingtown started blooming.
 
My stalks of Devonshire Cream (which did show horns here this year) went over in a downpour.  I haven't checked the stalks to see if any pods remain.  Some I know for sure have not taken.  None made from its pollen have, I think.
 
Of the pods that have been set, many are rotting off or having their stems rot out from under them.  I have not applied lime in two years and probably have weakened cell wall tissue all through the iris from inadequate Calcium.  That will be corrected shortly.  I have the lime on hand, just have not gotten it applied.
 
I'm shoveling out seedlings as they bloom trying to cut down the carryover still another year of things that should have bloomed the second time this year.  Only those in the shade of one of the oaks are being allowed a third try.  I'll move them out into more hours of sun.
 
The problem has been that there are too many good ones among the seedlings--whether good enough is a good question.  I have a lot of second and third year germinations that I do want to line out--the third-year ones are bearded species and allowed more latitude because of their origin.  Ordinarily I'll give a seed two tries and it gets dumped.
 
I even have some seeds of interest (a few) carried over from last fall I didn't plant, so I need to process these all through the mill before getting too many more things going.
 
With the orders of extra good new materials working with my existing objectives, plus the SAGE materials orders, trades and gifts, I am looking at a real issue of just what I'm going to pitch out to make room.  Most of my available space has very little sunlight or very few hours of what it does have--holly, rhododendron and azalea conditions prevail, not those conducive to bearded iris.
 
Since my gardening activities have expanded up to a grand total of two hours a day, I'm beginning to make headway against the two years of neglect.  Things are really looking up--and anything that likes water is as happy as can be, now that we are in our second year out from under the extreme drought conditions.
 
I'm sitting here looking with a warm heart at R 14-7, one of the Fogbound X Power Woman seedlings on its last bloom for the season.  With Swingtown as a grandparent and Fogbound as a parent it ought to have a reasonable potential as an SA breeder.  The beard is on a 16-guage  beard spine--and it is a rich, deep warm violet with tangerine to violet beard, wide hafts and multiple buds per socket.  I tried making photos of it but with flash it shifts the color.  I'll have to wait until next year as this blossom will fold overnight, I expect.
 
Some of the Rogue X Power Woman and Rogue X P 1-9, Power Woman sib have been astonishingly wide, full handsome reds, red over red-black bitones and coppery red blends. One tall leggy one stood on its head after a heavy rain, much like its mama, but none of the others have yet.  No SA characteristics have shown, but I would imagine they'll breed them with a vengeance.  Again--next year is another year.  I think there isn't a scrap of usable pollen on the place, especially SA pollen.
 
Neil Mogensen        zone 7, western NC

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